Astrolabes: The Medieval 'Smartphone'? | Seb Falk

Historian Seb Falk teaches us how to use the Astrolabe - the medieval astronomer's smartphone - and explores the lessons we can learn from the Middle Ages' approach to science. Order your copy of The Light Ages here: amzn.to/3bCNlNP
The Middle Ages were a time of wonder. They gave us the first universities, the first eyeglasses and the first mechanical clocks as medieval thinkers sought to understand the world around them, from the passing of the seasons to the stars in the sky.
In this book, we walk the path of medieval science with a real-life guide, a fourteenth-century monk named John of Westwyk - inventor, astrologer, crusader - who was educated in England's grandest monastery and exiled to a clifftop priory. Following the traces of his life, we learn to see the natural world through Brother John's eyes: navigating by the stars, multiplying Roman numerals, curing disease and telling the time with an astrolabe.
We travel the length and breadth of England, from Saint Albans to Tynemouth, and venture far beyond the shores of Britain. On our way, we encounter a remarkable cast of characters: the clock-building English abbot with leprosy, the French craftsman-turned-spy and the Persian polymath who founded the world's most advanced observatory.
An enthralling story of the struggles and successes of an ordinary man and an extraordinary time, The Light Ages conjures up a vivid picture of the medieval world as we have never seen it before.
00:00 Intro
00:17 The science of the Middle Ages
01:17 What is an astrolabe?
02:33 How to use an astrolabe
05:54 The medieval smartphone
07:22 Seb’s personal experience
08:12 Lessons from medieval science
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[@charrouki]

For the scientific integrity, we must mention the great role that Muslim scientists played in developing the astrolabe, which entered Europe via Andalusia. Many stars have Arabic names.

[@fuzzytrex667]

Beautifully put :] A fuller understanding of the unity of transmission that scientific understanding has gone through will bring all peoples closer together.

[@fuzzytrex667]

@R Yes, but astrolabes as a device were transmitted directly to Western Europe via the Islamic-Arabic scholars in Al-Andalus (The Iberian Peninsula). Geoffrey Chaucer's Astrolabe Treatise, the first documented in English, takes directly from the adapted al-Khwarizmi astrolabe treatise by al-Majriti and al-Saffar under the Umayyad Caliphate.

[@audijohns9187]

Moors use it to navigate, the very first Astrolabes are in Arabic for a reason. It’s funny how they give credit to Greeks for inventing everything when they themselves was taught in Egypt. All of them were students of Ancient Khemit.

[@fuzzytrex667]

@@audijohns9187 Awesome comment! Would you mind suggesting your favorite articles/dissertations/books/papers on Greeks and Ancient Khemit? I'm very interested!

[@tomtaylor5623]

@@audijohns9187 the very first astrolabes are greek, and the ancient egyptians WERE greek. Not only does their mythology state this, that they came from Egypt to populate greece, DNA has now proven this.

[@juliettemay2666]

I completely get that emotional feeling of actually seeing a piece made so long ago. I told my family when I finally see Greek pottery from the classical age or if I'm ever lucky enough to see a Minoan Frescoe, I would cry. It would be an amazing moment.

[@davidamen2839]

to compare this astrolabe to an ancient greek one is just like to compare a tamgoshi with an high end pc

[@GCRL1000]

Great introduction to science in the Middle Ages and to perhaps its most versatile and most beautifully crafted instrument. #thanks

[@TimSmith714]

Enjoying reading the Light Ages and great to see an astrolabe

[@alisonaddicks1584]

Just listened to the library audiobook and ordered a hard copy! Gotta have all those charts and photos! Thank you - wonderful narration btw!

[@sebfalk1980]

Thanks - I'm very glad you enjoyed it!

[@Jamzzila]

Great video I loved learning how it's used.. There are over a thousand applications for it that AlKhwarismi back in the Islamic world much earlier had mentioned with his astrolabe.

[@DharmendraSharma-vf8yr]

This is an amazing video, I have never seen a video like this before.

[@georgecook7733]

I watched this alongside reading the chapter 'Astrolabe and Albion' in the book. It's very hard to get one's head around these scientific concepts - quite humbling when compared to our modern stereotypes of the so called dark ages, particularly when mention Chaucer's introductory texts written for his 10 year old son! I am not great with scientific concepts but very much enjoying the book.

[@sebfalk1980]

Thank you - glad you're enjoying it!

[@Calinks]

That is some ridiculously impressive technology.

[@jameswalker199]

One thing I do with my modern smartphone is track man-made satellites, which is something the makers of astrolabes would never have dreamed of, but never the less it makes me wonder if I could do that on an astrolabe

[@duskairable]

Al asturlab in Arabic or sithara yab in Persian or astrolabe in English. I have one of this 😁

[@darkrai6543]

The book is excellent - I'm making my way through it myself right now. It's actually made me want to pursue acquiring my own Astrolabe - it seems like something that will be great fun to show students, to give them an idea of how people of the past used to do things.

[@sebfalk1980]

Thank you! I can tell you from experience, students really enjoy learning how these medieval gadgets worked.

[@darkrai6543]

@@sebfalk1980 Indeed! I know I'll be showing off a few things in the future whenever I wind up getting my history endorsement for teaching. Thank you again!

[@AntonioLopez-of3jl]

Europe was in the dark. Middle East was where the light of knowledge and culture lit.

[@peterhoebarth4234]

But satanic culture, is the Light.

[@shalpert1947]

The horse who squashed the globe was smart. He knew that all measurements must be made from a level earth. Level meaning sea level and horizontal meaning flat like a horizon.

[@BlondeManNoName]

Fascinating, I was always wondering what these devices were.

[@tomwalker1888]

My son (7) says: that was extra good!

[@Vedant-zh7ry]

your son did not say that stop lying

[@jameswalker199]

@@Vedant-zh7ry 7 is pretty old for a young kid. If their son was 4 I'd say they were lying, but I can believe 7 - especially since it's something I'd have said at 7 regarding cool science stuff.

[@timbyard-jones6320]

This is the exact same reproduction astrolabe that I use in my living history presentations. It always fascinates people...

[@cpt.walker6273]

Where does one purchase one of these larger versions?

[@vandengrey6912]

@@cpt.walker6273 Same question I was going to ask

[@MrWig100]

I'm reading and enjoying 'The Light Ages'.

[@cuscotopiageografia2890]

Excellent Video

[@user-bw8ld4rb9i]

Nice. Thanks

[@TommyLikeTom]

he neglected to mention that the astrolabe he is holding is almost definitely a modern version. Traditional Astrolabes were quite practically designed

[@s1p2a3r4]

II would love to know where to buy the astrobobe like you have to go with your book! I found not very nice ones on amazon

[@Dynaboy1]

Same im interested also

[@vsevolodburavchenko8400]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/qIfFfXuCgreKpNE

[@danwelsh6706]

Cool video

[@1HorseOpenSlay]

It's squashed flat...just like the earth.cuz a horse stepped on it. (Classic). This is a great video. Really well explained

[@indigo_summer6427]

Where can i buy one?

[@alohafromflorida2350]

What kind of emotional experience would you have once you realize that the astrolabe is a geocentric flat and stationary earth device? Same with the anti-Catherine mechanism. Everyone back then knew the Earth was flat in Stationary. They didn’t believe it was. They knew it was. Your story of a planus fear being a smashed spherical device by a horse was hilarious though. Keep researching. Try questioning your indoctrination.

[@indianministryofilluminati3531]

There's nothing wrong with it. Astronomy and Science have pseudoscientific roots- Astronomy came from Astrology, Chemistry from Alchemy, etc. You would've believed Geocentrism too if you were born back then during that time period.

[@aaronmurray4735]

Wonderfully informative. But how was it even possible to do a 9-min. video on the astrolabe without mentioning, not even once, the debt to high Islamic culture. That seem very odd. I know this is an historian of the European Middle Ages, but still. Am I missing something?

[@sebfalk1980]

I do cover it in my book - and of course medieval Europeans were well aware of their debt to the Islamic world. This video was more about how the instrument works and what it was used for.

[@aaronmurray4735]

@@sebfalk1980 Understood! I will have to read the book. Very nice video, and very clear explanation of the astrolabe. It's easy to leave a critical comment like this, and I should have done more research on the full picture of what you had to say.

[@indianministryofilluminati3531]

​@@sebfalk1980If the video was for explaining how to use it, why mention the horse story?

[@lgsama]

Did he said the word muslim?

[@bennyirawan5086]

No😏

[@MKHAZARVI]

Dare he ever do that. 😊

[@shrikantgangarde2541]

#This is a 14th-century instrument used to make astronomical measurements that is in the Geneva Museum of the History of Science. Zoom in and see! You can find Sanskrit script engraved on it! In which you on this no

[@mohammedaldhubaibi2489]

Thanks to the Muslim scientists who invented that instrument which is the fact you deliberately ignored during this video. They still don't know how to use it in Europe, perhaps you can Ask Mr. Glen Cooper about this masterpiece you are holding.

[@jonathanengdahl9045]

Astrolabes existed many hundreds of years before islam. I thought everyone knew this

[@flatthumbs8585]

FLAT EARTH TRUTH

[@nevem5010]

❤

[@tbishop4961]

Good stuff Some of the very best music of every generation is almost straight up plagiarized from a previous generation An analog comeback is in order

[@lidorshimoni694]

TXN!

[@yildirimnessy]

get the names and the origin right???

[@yondubai2192]

Conveniently, a historian at Cambridge University drop out those who finessed this instrument !! sheeeeeeeesh.

[@shrikantgangarde2541]

#This is a 14th-century instrument used to make astronomical measurements that is in the Geneva Museum of the History of Science. Zoom in and see! You can find Sanskrit script engraved on it! In which you on this no#This is a 14th-century instrument used to make astronomical measurements that is in the Geneva Museum of the History of Science. Zoom in and see! You can find Sanskrit script engraved on it! In which you on this no

[@aqua7576]

I would have just as much trouble operating the astrolabe as I have with my android.

[@ALLAHISENOUGHFORPALASTINE]

This is better than anything of today because it doesn't rely on network or energy,it can be used anywhere in the universe. Thanks to the muslims

[@pouyavatanpoor2625]

No no those nothing to do with Greece and the Greek history. The astrolabe was made by the Muslim people in the golden Islamic time. Please make your researches complete before you make a video to teach people. And if you do make sure that you give the truth information on the story

[@jonathanengdahl9045]

Astrolabes existed many hundreds of years before islam existed

[@unarammer2003]

little deciever...he wants you to think it's a squashed globe...no,no,no the dome of the sky is flattened.. the firmament... it can tell you the altitude TO THE STARS....oppps we won't mention that

[@jimjimskimmer1935]

Its squashed flat because the EARTH IS FLAT!

[@sidjoosin6549]

when one can say where any star will be or where was example 3063 year in the future/in the past on for may, 5 at 3 a.m. from any place (exactly from Times Square ex) - it means that person fully understand movement of stars, and there is Nothing to add about this movement. and another one can make funny animations how stars moving and where and think as laughable old theories but reality says "if his theory allow him to predict any star in any time from any place - means his theory perfect and you are making cartoons"

[@thebeatrumble]

This is what they mean when they tell you “you’re over qualified” for a job position.

[@peterhoebarth4234]

Minute 1.43, Plainsphere.....flat.....(flat Earth). Tank Your.

[@TrumpMMA]

Earth is FLAt

[@engineerered4577]

Nice

[@najiramdhan4837]

He didn’t even mention that the Astrolabe was developed by the Arabs 😂!!!!

[@jonathanengdahl9045]

Because it wasnt. Ancient greeks had astrolabes which is clearly stated in the video

[@KOKingGaming]

1:50 That is not how the Astrolabe was made at all and had nothing to do with Ptolemy - Mariam Al Astrulabi a Muslim Woman created the Astrolabe! Please state facts and not "tales".

[@evil7529]

So interesting! Also interesting is that Islam ceased scientific contribution in the 15th century.....😅

[@logicalreason]

Alhamdullilah for Islam

[@havabuday]

Unfortunately It was actually stolen from the muslims in the east and credit was given to the ancient Greeks. Sad we have liars re writing history and altering the hidden truth. I feel embarrassed for those thieves couldn’t brag about their own inventions lol #Al-ʻIjliyyah

[@jonathanengdahl9045]

Ancient greeks lived hundreds of years before islam existed

[@AbuLeenH]

It wasn't the Muslims, it was the horse of the Greek astronomer. The brilliance of Western historians' imagination keeps surprising us. 😅

[@jonathanengdahl9045]

Astrolabes existed many hundreds of years before islam. I thought everyone knew this

[@indianministryofilluminati3531]

Racism at its finest, indeed.

[@InaamUlHaq-et4sy]

​@@jonathanengdahl9045this one did? It's got Arabic writing 😂

[@jonathanengdahl9045]

@@InaamUlHaq-et4sy AstrolabeS plural. What does it say?

[@bennyirawan5086]

What people have high knowledge at the middle ages so can make and use this tool?.. euro?!🤭😁..at that time europe people telled by church earth was flat🤣🤣🤣🤣

[@MKHAZARVI]

I wonder if someone has made an effort to reported this pandora of fabricated lies.

[@GeraldBlack1]

But it still can't find a girlfriend!

[@phearlesspharaoh3697]

If Ptolemy invented it then why do they give credit to Islamic scientists?

[@jonathanengdahl9045]

Who are they?

[@indianministryofilluminati3531]

Cuz Ptolemy story is only a story. Astrolabe comes from Arabic Asturlāb. Although it was invented in the Hellenistic civilisation and later refined by Muslims, with al-Khwarizmi explaining more uses of the instrument.

[@jonathanengdahl9045]

@@indianministryofilluminati3531 The arabic word Asturlab comes from the greek word Astrolabos

[@jonathanengdahl9045]

@@indianministryofilluminati3531 Asturlab comes from greek Astrolabos

[@mohammedaldirdiri3694]

Its an invented by islamic scientists*

[@jonathanengdahl9045]

Astrolabes eisted many hundreds of years before islam existed

[@TreeBug88]

Ridiculous

[@ninjatakes4321]

What a cringe title oh my god dont do this to yourselves

[@najiramdhan4837]

He didn’t even mention that the Astrolabe was developed by the Arabs 😂!!!!

[@najiramdhan4837]

@@elmehditouil and he didn’t mention Muslims either!